Dedicated in March of 2014, New Bedford’s cultural district celebrates all that makes the city unique, with a special nod towards its historic connection to the water. In total, there are 75+ attractions, restaurants and shopping spots packed into the square, which is easily walkable.

At the mouth of the waterfront is the New Bedford Whaling Museum, a fitting overture to the cultural district and the city itself. A monument to New Bedford’s maritime heritage, the museum contains hundreds of thousands of artifacts and art pieces, recounting the story of whaling in an unparalleled way. Here, visitors can also witness complete whale skeletons from four different species, as well as Lagoda, the world’s largest ship model and a mighty impressive one at that.

New Bedford famous Working Waterfront is also right in the area, acting as a buffer between the harbor and city streets. Along the waterfront, walkers can set off on a self-guided tour and maybe see some of the city’s enormous seafood haul come home, as New Bedford remains one of the preeminent U.S. fishing cities to this day.

In the warmer months, a series of events bring the downtown area to life. The Working Waterfront Festival is one of the biggest, while the Folk Festival and Jazzfest have plenty to keep music fans happy. There’s lots of shopping in the area as well, which is particularly convenient during the holiday season.

Photo: Gallery 65 in New Bedford at night

The itinerary above is more than enough to fill up a few days, but it’s only a slice of what the New Bedford Seaport Cultural District has in store. You can take a more comprehensive virtual tour of the district here. To learn more about the entire city, just click here.